"It is vitally important that front line police have their skills improved to be able - and the training to be able - to deal with these incidents on the spot," he said.

Mr Turnbull added that police will remain the first responders but the changes will allow them to work more closely with the army.

Image:Last week Mr Turnbull visited the site of the London Bridge attack

Although police were absolved of blame over the 2014 Lindt cafe siege - in which two hostages and the gunman were killed - a coronial inquiry found in May that police failed to respond quickly enough to end the 16-hour siege,